Large hydraulic infrastructures are necessary in a community like Andalusia, with reserves that return to 30%, an assigned budget and there is “will and a good political climate” for their execution. However, the administrative rhythms remain slow as demonstrated on Wednesday, September 11, the first meeting of the political journey between the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Water and Fisheries, Ramón Fernández-Pacheco, and the Secretary of State for Water, Hugo Morán. For this reason, both administrations stressed the need to streamline the procedures, which fall under the jurisdiction of the State, both for the preparation of technical preliminary projects and for the negotiation with irrigators for the approval of new agreements.
The main objective of both administrations is to expand the water desalination network in Andalusia, which in the last critical situation (before the spring rains) proved clearly insufficient for the needs of the autonomous community. In this sense, there are two key projects andIn which the Government and the Government of Andalusia work together to accelerate and reduce deadlines: the new desalination plants in Almeria and the Costa del Sol with an associated investment that exceeds 360 million euros.
In the case of the Almeria desalination plant, Bajo Almanzora II, the central government has informed the Andalusian government that the preliminary project with the design will be completed before the end of this year so that the environmental treatment can begin in 2025. of the land belonging to the Junta de Andalucía and carry out the water concessions, in addition to signing the agreement between Acuamed (award-winning company) and future users of the desalination plants. From there, the works must be launched and executed. Its capacity will be 20 cubic hectometres per year.
Regarding the Costa del Sol desalination plant, in AxarquiaThe administrative situation is similar but with longer deadlines. It is expected that the preliminary design will take place in February 2025 and from there the entire process will be developed to complete an infrastructure that will start with a planned capacity of 25 cubic hectometres but could reach 50 in the medium term.
In both cases, the Junta de Andalucía and the Government have agreed “move forward with the agreements that must be signed with irrigators” through meetings that will take place this fall, in order to reduce the processing and execution times of projects.
At the same time, in Almeria, the central government also has the challenge of restarting the desalination plant. Under Almanzora, which has not been operational since 2012. To this end, repair and commissioning actions, a new power line, protection works, an intervention are being processed so that the final production of this equipment is 20 cubic hectometres per year and a new photovoltaic park which will be operational in 2026.
In the desalination plant Carboneras On the table are the improvement of energy efficiency, the modification of emissions due to the closure of the coastal thermal power plant and the new photovoltaic park which will also come into service in 2026.
In addition to these interventions, the Government and the Office analyzed the situation of the desalination plant in Field of dahlias with a planned expansion of its capacity to 40 cubic hectometres, a water distribution and supply network from Adra, as well as a new photovoltaic park.
Portugal and the Alcolea Dam
Councilor Ramón Fernández-Pacheco, who assumed hydraulic powers after Carmen Crespo left before the summer, also presented two requests to the central government in which progress was made during the meeting. First, “unlock” the Alcoléa DamThe Commission has proposed different options to the Ministry: as soon as the works are carried out in accordance with the agreement in force, that the Ministry authorizes the Andalusian government to continue with the dam or even dissolve the agreement and that Andalusia is compensated so that, with the amount committed, can develop another hydraulic work. In any case, both administrations have agreed to end the inaction that currently weighs on this action, also in the province of Huelva.
Finally, the councilor requested that the Andalusian Government be able to participate “with voice, but without vote” in the meetings between the executives of Spain and Portugal to obtain the best possible agreement with Albufeira to obtain water from the Guadiana River for the Huelva region. The Council has requested, in fact, the regularization of Bocachanza I and the authorization of Bocachanza II. Both infrastructures and their operating rules are provided for in the Special Drought Plan and in the Hydrological Plan of the hydrographic district of Tinto, Odiel, Piedras and Chanza.
The regularization of the Bocachanza I pumping station, which takes water from the Guadiana estuary, consists of an extraordinary pumping that only operates when the system is in an alert situation (serious shortage) or emergency (serious shortage). Specifically, it seeks to ensure its contribution of 75 cubic hectometres per year in 2024The authorization of the Bocachanza II pumping station, for its part, is declared of general interest of the State because it is included in the law of transfer of Tinto, Odiel, Piedras Chanza to the Guadalquivir.
